Wedding Resources

Wedding Shower -- Setting a Date

Planning a wedding shower never got easier! With the help of OurDreamWedding's new Shower Guide, pulling off a spectacular shower event should be a breeze.

Setting a date

Choosing a date for the shower may be easier or harder than you thought, depending on the type of shower you are throwing and the circumstances of those involved. If you were considering a surprise shower, be sure to do the legwork of investigating the bride's schedule by conferring with either the groom or the bride's mother. The last thing any hostess would want is to pick a date in which the guest of honor couldn't attend because she had made prior plans unknowing of the upcoming shower. Find out her schedule, and then choose a date. You'll also need the groom's help when it comes time to make up the guest list (he can help you retrieve names, addresses and phone numbers.) If the shower isn't going to be a surprise, then picking a date should become a bit easier. Make sure to confer with the bride first and ask her about her availability. You'll also need her to make you a guest list complete with the guests' addresses and phone numbers (you will want to call any guests that may not RSVP.) If most of the guests on the list reside out of town, you may want to schedule a date well in advance so that those guests will have enough time to arrange for travel plans. If the shower will be a surprise co-ed event, you will need to confer with the Best Man or other groomsmen in order to figure out the groom's schedule as well.

The amount of time in advance that a shower may be thrown is dependant upon the circumstances of both the bride and the hostess(es). Showers are typically held anywhere from two to four months before the wedding and/or up until the week before the wedding. Although, you may want to reconsider throwing a shower the very week before the wedding, as the bride's schedule will already be extremely hectic.

If the bride lives out of town, and if this is also true with most of the bridesmaids, then it might be a good idea to schedule the shower for the same weekend that everyone will be in town for the dress fittings. Again, confer with the bride whenever possible and base your date around whatever works best for the both of you. If you're going to throw the shower at a banquet hall or restaurant—or if you are having it catered in any other location—you'll want to book a date that coincides with the availability of the facility you will be using or the caterer you will hire. It might be a good idea to call around and check for several available dates before choosing the shower date.